Scoop



July 18, 195o Filed Oct. 18, 1945 L'OYD /`7. Sw/007" n\. Arroz/vaya BY Mr July 18, 1950 L. M. sMooT 2,515,429

scoop Filed Oct. L8, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENToR. A/.Uyo M. SMQT B @y Jao" mlm Patented July 18, 1950 UNITED i, PATENT OFFICE VSCOOP Lloyd'M; vSmoct;Everett;Washg assigner of onehalftoLeo S.;Ross, Seattle,l Wash.

Application Qctvber 18, 1945, Serialn No. 622,994

(C1. 31a-e126)` This invention relates to improvements in scrapers, and it has. reference more particularly toA Scrapers designed for use yas an attachment for tractors for use in grading, ditch-digging;J clearing and, various other operations; H such Scrapers including connecting linkagev through which the scraper scoop or bowl may be draw-n bythe tractor for loading and through, which the scoop may then be lifted cleargofthe ground and carried by the tractor to a placefor une loading or dumping.

Explanatory to the present inventiongitywill here be stated that there are scraper attachments for tractorsinowon the market,- typified by that disclosed in U..S. Letters Patentto Arps, No. 2,364,121 of December 511944, that may be attached to and operated from the rear`4 ofc. small farm tractor,l through connections bywhich the scoop may be loaded, lifted and dumped, However, to my knowledge, no suclfrscraperv of that type has been provided in connectionA with a tractor or other prime mover having connecting linkageA with the tractor wherebyv the loaded scraper may be lifted and then selectively swung to one or the other sideof the line of travel o f the tractor and automatically unloaded,

There are several disadvantages in such struc tures as that of the patent above-mentioned,` in not being able to unload, .or dump the scraper except at the rear of the tractor,l andtthere are many advantages in being able to selectivelyvv unload or dump the loaded scoop at 011e` side or the. other. Therefore, it has been one of the principal objects of this invention to provide a scraper at,- tachment designed tobe drawn at therear. of a tractor as is the scraper of the patent abnve mentioned, but which is connected toK the tractor through novel Supporting and operating devices and linkage whereby the loaded scraper may be raised from loading positionrto an elevated posi,- tion, then swung to either. side o f. thev line of travel under positive control, andtheloadVdiS-f charged.

It is also an object .of this inventionftoproyide 2 automatically returned to its closed position upon dischargeofA the load from the scoop. f f Another object of the invention is .to provide hydraulicqpower devices for controllingthe lateral swinging actions of thescoop or bowl.

Still other objectsof the inventiona-re toA be found in the details, of constructionof the various parts; in their combination; relationship vand modelofA operation as will hereinafter be, fully described.

In; accomplishing these and other objects of theinvention, 1 have providedv the improved de#- tails of construction, the Vpreferred formsfof; wnichxareillustrated in the accompanying drawings, -thereiziliKV Fig. 1 is a side view of a scraper mechanism embodied/by the present invention, as attached to a tractor Showing in full lines the Icaded; scoop 01' .scraper bowl. in raised'position, and show-ine it 11.1 dOQd. lines in .31 lOWeIiBd-DOSiOri ask OI loading or rilling-v Fig. 2 isa plan, or top view of thescra-per mechanism, and indicating in dotted lines., the lateral; swinging of the scoop to eitl'ierv side of the limoni-travel 0f lthe tractor to whilfr-tbe mechanismis attached.

Fig, 3 is a per'spectivel view of the scoop and its supporting .and operating linkage, `detached from the tractor.

Eig. el is a longitudinal sectionof thescoop, illustratingthe pivotal action of its bottom wall.

Figf is4 a .diagrammatic illustration of the hydzi'aillctcontrol system and devices for swing@ ingk the sooop .supporting boom to either side of a neutral position, and lfor holding it in a set position.

Referring more detail to the drawings:

The apparatus comprised. `by ythe present scrapermechanism, its present nreferred'ferm, designed to be used in connection-with Aand as anattachment for .farm tractors of thatknd, or. weer typiiiexi bythe tractors shown in United States Letterslatents lios., 2.118.189 amd-2.11.9.-` 181. Preierably, the tractor sel A for use in the combination wouldbe one .ec ned with a hydraulic power. lift. as standard equipment. However, other typesoi lifts might lie-employed, In each of the patents above rnoptioneel,v the trac.- torv .sn-own has. .a powerlift. .ci a satisfactory kind. .for the present apparatus.. .In connection with the. hydraulic mechanism. of the trac-ton the lift mechanisminludes a hcrizontalshait .supported across the top of the rear axle housing for rotative adjustment inopposite directionsL under `manualcontrol and'at the ends of this cross shaft,

which extend equally to opposite sides of the center line of the tractor, lever arms are xed, and to these arms links are attached in anticipation of their being used for the raising or lowering of an agricultural implement that may be drawn by the tractor. The present equipment, now to be described, is designed for application to a tractor that has such an arrangement of hydraulic system and lever arms.

In its present preferred form of construction,vv the scraper mechanism comprises the scraper orY scoop which is herein designated in its entirety by reference numeral I3. This scoop comprises y `offthe scoop supporting link I5 is located between and has a universal connection as indicated at 5D,

a vertical rear end wall II; opposite side walls I2 and I2', and a bottom wall I3. The'scoop thus formed is open at its forward end for ll- 1 ing. Fixed to the rear end wall II, centrally thereof are spaced, upstanding ears I 4 between which the rear end of a supporting link I5 is attached by a horizontal hinge pin I6. At its forward end; the scoop is attached tothe rear end of a supporting boom I1 which, as noted bestin Fig. 3, has diverging legs I'Ia--I'Ib with downturned ends extended to opposite sides of the scoop and fixed pivotally to the side walls I2 and I2 by means of pivot bolts I8.

The tractor with which the scraper is to be used is shown in part in Figs. 1 and 2, where it is designated by reference character T, andit is shown as having a frame structure supported at its rear end by a pair of spaced traction wheels 2D and 20. An axle housing and transmission gearl case, designated generally by reference character A extends between the wheels and encloses therein the usual diierential gearing, not shown.

Within the main frame structure or housing, forwardly of the case A, the previously mentioned hydraulic lift mechanism is enclosed in suitable manner. The lift mechanism, as seen in Fig. l, includes a cross shaft 28 rotatably supported across the top of gear case A" in abearing 29. The shaft has an operating connection with the piston of a hydraulic jack J. Fixed to the ends of this cross shaft are the parallel lever arms 30 and 3Q through which lifting of an implement drawn by the ytractor maybe accomplished. It is provided that under control of the hydraulic jack mechanism incorporated in the tractor, the shaft 28 maybe rotatably adjusted in opposite directions under manual control to swing the lever arms 30 and 30' between one 4extreme position, at which they extend substantially horizontally and rearwardly directed, and

an opposite extreme at which they extend upwardly, or substantially vertical.

Extended rearwardly from the axle housing A is a pair of vertically swinging lever arms 35 and 35'. These arms have their forward ends pivotally fixed by hinge bolts 36 to lugs 31 on the case A; the lugs being horizontally alined and symmetrically spaced relative to the center line of the tractor and set somewhat outside the planes in which the lever arms 30 and 30' swing.

At their rear ends, the lever arms 35 and 35 y horizontal bottom bar 38, a horizontal top bar 39 and opposite end bars 40 and 40. The lever arms 35` and 35 have xed connection at their i rear ends with the ends of the attachment frame and the relationship of the frame to the supporting arms is such that when the arms 35-35 are in the upwardy inclined position, which is the "raised'position as seen in full lines in Fig. 1, the frame will be substantially vertical, and it is held rigid relative to the arms by brace bars 4I that have ends securely attached to the arms, as at 42, and their other ends fixed to the end members 40 of the frame, as at 43.

Extending above the attachment frame structure-above described, and rigidly xed thereto, is an upstanding yoke or arch I5 which, at its top '-.Lcenter is formed with spaced, upwardly directed ears IIB-46, between which the lower end of paired, spaced, parallel bars lll-41 is hingedly attachedvr by a horizontal bolt 48. The forward end with the upper ends of the paired bars 4'I-4'I. Pivotally iixed to the bars between their upper and lower ends, as at 52, is the rear end of a supporting `link 53, the forward end of whichis pivotally attached by a horizontal hinge bolt'54 between lugs 55--55 formed on the top side of case A at a location in the c-entral line of the tractor.

The 'forwardend of the boom II is mounted on a vertical pivot shaft 56 and this is pivotally mounted at upper and lower ends in theframe bars 38 and 39 in the same verticalplane of the forwardly and rearwardly swinging links lll. In this arrangement of attachment frame and linkage, the length of the lever arms 35'-35 and the link 53, and the points of connection of these links with the tractor housing A is such that with theattachment frame lifted thereby to its raised position v,shownin full lines in Fig. 1, the attachment frame and the bars lll-'47, hingedthereon, willfbe substantially vertical and the scoop will be supported by the boom I'I and link I5 above .the groundlevel and in-horizontal position... Furthermore, that rwith the swinging of the lever arms 35-35' downwardly, as to the dotted line position in Fig. 1, the bars 4l will hinge about the pivotal support 48 'and swing to a forwardly inclined position .while the attachment frame will be inclined rearwardly. This relative movement of the frame and bars 4l-l'l during raising and lowering of the attachment frameresults in the scoop being held in a level position at any elevation. f Y

. The raising and lowering of the arms 35-35, for the upward and downwardV adjustment of the attachment frame above described, iseiected by theup or down swinging of the arms 30 and 3D which are connected atl their ends by links 5'I-5'I with the corresponding lever arms 35-35' by pivot bolts 58. y

. The relationship of the pivot shaft 56, which mounts the boom yI'I for lateral swinging movement and the universal joint 50 is such that .whentheattachment frame ,is raised, the boom may ,then swing to either side and in a horizontal plane, and while such' swinging movement is most generally desired for dumping a load, it may be employed under some conditions to facilitate loading operations.

The means for holding' the scraper boom Il at 'a definite positionrelative-to the line of travel, or to swing it toward either side, is provided by a hydraulic jack 'I5 .that is pivotally mounted in thei attachment frame at'one vside of the center, and this jack has its piston rod 'I6 pivotally connectedto boom I1 rearwardly of the supporting pivot-shaft 56 as at 'I9 in Fig. 3. I- Iydraulic pressure medium is admitted to and from thejack 5 cylinder through flexible conduits 11 and 'I8 under control of a hand Valve 99 located adjacent the drivers seat on the tractor, to cause the rod to be extended or retracted, thus to swing the boom. Pressure medium is preferably supplied from the same source as that for the hydraulic lift device which actuates shaft 28. In Fig. 5 the supply tank of liquid is designated at 90, and pressure pump at 9i. The valve 99 is a four way Valve with lines 'l1 and 18 leading to the jack and lines 92 and 93 to the pump and to the tank respectively. Pipe 94 connects the tank to the intake of the pump and a cross line 95 including a pressure relief valve 96 connects pipes 92 and 93. Pressure may be admitted to either end of the cylinder and exhausted from the other.

The scoop is designed for automatic unloading. Its bottom wall I3 is pivoted in the side walls at a line somewhat forward of the center, as at 80, and the forward edge of this plate is formed with digging teeth I3. Mounted on the rear and wall of the scoop is a pivoted latch hook 8| designed to engage beneath the back edge of the hinged bottom I3 to hold it in closed position. The latch is weighted so that it will automatically swing toward holding position and a cable 85 extends therefrom along the link l5, over suitable guides 86 and to the drivers position. Pull on this cable will release the latch for discharge of the load.

After the load has been discharged, the bottom y swings back to closed position due to the added weight in the teeth or bar applied to the digging edge.

Such a scraper is efcient and effective for ditch digging or cleaning operations, besides being very useful for grading and load hauling. It

may be made in Various sizes and may employ the devices shown for its support, or other suitable means. Also, it is anticipated that such scrapers might be applied to bulldozers by slight modifications to parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. In combination with a tractor of the character described having a power lift mechanism; a transverse, vertical frame structure adapted to be raised and lowered by said power lift mechanism and comprising a rigid lower section and a rigid upper section joined by a horizontal transversely directed hinge pin, a pair of coextensive laterally spaced links pivotally connected at their forward ends to opposite sides of the tractor frame and having rigid connections at their rearward ends with the opposite ends of the lower section of the transverse frame, a link pivotally connected at its forward end to the tractor frame medially of and above the points of connection of the first mentioned links and pivotally connected at its rearward end to the upper portion of the upper section of the said transverse vertical frame, a load-carrying scoop disposed rearwardly of the tractor, two rigid, bowl suspending links with forward ends pivotally connected, respectively, in the upper and lower sections of the said frame structure in the central, longitudinal plane of the tractor, and adapted to swing at their rearward ends to opposite sides of the tractor, the lower link having a pivoted supporting connection at its rearward end with the forward end of the scoop, and said upper link having a pivoted, supporting connection with the scoop at its rearward end, said hinged sections of the frame structure being relatively movable in accordance with vertical adjustments of the frame structure by the power lift mechanism to maintain the scoop substantially in level position for all vertical adjustments of the said vertical frame, and a power operated means mounted in the lower section of the transverse frame and operatively connected with one of the said rigid scoop suspending links to control the lateral position of the scoop.

2. A combination as in claim 1 wherein the power mechanism includes a hydraulic cylinder pivotally mounted in the lower section of said vertical frame structure and having a piston rod extended therefrom and operatively connected l with the lower scoop suspending link for effecting and retaining the lateral positioning of the scoop.

LLOYD M. SMOOT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the rile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

